


Imagine Dragons

by OlrichRakdos



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU - After graduation, Cinder's keikaku foiled, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, bear with me, first fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 07:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5448686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlrichRakdos/pseuds/OlrichRakdos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After touching and enhancing so many lives, it was hard to think she had lost her own. Yet Blake thinks she's not entirely gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imagine Dragons

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Practically Buzzing with Possibilities](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5194367) by [AProcrastinatingWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AProcrastinatingWriter/pseuds/AProcrastinatingWriter). 



> This fic was inspired by an inverted idea of chapter eight in Practically Buzzing with Possibilities. An homage, if you will.  
> The ficlets of Bumblebee are absolutely glorious, check it out: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5194367

"Friends, family and dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to both mourn and celebrate. Our guest of honor would not have wanted it any other way.”

A few small nods at the front followed the statement, the rest of the crowd staying quiet. They all knew her, in a way. No one could forget what she was like.

Ozpin cleared his throat. “When I first met the lovely lady, Yang was one of the fieriest students I had ever seen, excuse the pun.”

Two or three small chuckles came from the crowd, and Blake wished Ozpin hadn’t said that. She had that written in her speech. Now she would have to wing it, much like Yang would.

“She touched the lives of many here today. Her passion and drive to become a Huntress was extraordinary, only equaled by her teammates, and her generous heart was always ready to give out attention to those in need.”

Everyone had gone silent now. No joking around.

“Yang symbolized everything it was to be a Huntress. She was a shining golden beacon in the darkness of the world, and even in the uncertainty of the future, Yang Xiao Belladonna-Long will continue to do so, as one of the finest Huntresses to have fallen in the line of duty and an inspiration to all who pass through Beacon Academy.”

Ozpin paused in his speech to bow his head in remembrance and clean his glasses, but Blake saw the tears that had splashed onto the lens.

When he spoke again, Ozpin had a slight crack in his voice, as if he was trying to hold back a tsunami with a wall of wood that had just sprung a leak. “I would now like to offer the floor to anyone who would like to pay respects to Ms Xiao Belladonna-Long.”

\-------

Blake had never been comfortable with speaking in front of more than two people, let alone a crowd. But, as she stepped onto the large stage and stood behind the podium, she felt empowered, like a spark had ignited in her. She was the last person to take the floor, having seen how many people payed their respects in their own ways.

“I would like to start my speech with a disclaimer. I normally stay quiet, so if I turn into a mess of tears, please forgive me, and I did not intend to be the last person to speak here.”

A couple of chuckles, again from the front, reminded her of the six people who sat in the front row. Her friends.

“I first met Yang at Beacon, on the initiation night. She was dragging her sister Ruby towards me as I was reading, and she waved with a cheerful ‘Hello! I believe you two may know each other?’” She tried, and most likely succeeded in imitating Yang, because much more laughter, although somber, came from much more of the crowd.

“And when I first saw her, I never thought that she would become my partner at Beacon for four years, nor my significant other since the second year, nor my wife since graduation.” Blake’s throat chose that exact moment to choke up, and she couldn’t have been happier. She actually got through all of that.

Taking a moment to breathe again, she continued. _Yang would be proud_ , she thought to herself. “She proposed much differently to what people expect. Her, in a luxurious, sweeping gown that I would have guessed Snow Angel loaned to her-” an indignant ‘Hey!’ sounded from the front. “And with a sunset in the forest of Forever Fall was her proposal. Nothing fancy or flashy as one would expect-” Her throat tightened and her eyes started stinging, but she had to keep going. For Yang. “Just her, me and the ring. I’ll never forget that day.”

Everything began to get warmer as Blake smiled. _Odd, summer doesn’t start for another month._ “The wedding, however, was all her doing, from holding it in mister Xiong’s bar-” a nod to the big man sitting near the middle. “To having Nora as flower girl-” a light, nervous chuckle from the pink, energetic person in question. “All the way to altering the wedding's end into ‘I now pronounce you kinky and kinkier, you may kiss your kitty-cat’ and the romantic dip.”

She paused, lost in the memory, and could feel a tear spring from each eye and trickle down her cheeks, much like on the wedding day.

“I always thought that everything casts a shadow. I thought I was proven wrong with Yang. But it’s only now that I realize I was her shadow all along. Two people from completely different sides of everything, two sides of the same coin.”

Blake’s throat seemed to be linked to whenever she needed to take a moment, and for that, she was very grateful, but she had a speech to finish. “I’m unsure what to do now that Yang is gone physically, but I know she will be with us forever in our hearts and minds.”

She turned to the coffin, Ember Celica placed atop it in the small bracelets that were always present on whatever outfit Yang chose. “I love you, Yang Xiao Belladonna-Long, but it’s not goodbye if I know I’ll see you again. Your moon will join you soon enough, my sun.” She gently, almost gingerly, picked up the bracelets and slid them onto her own wrists, the only thing betraying the weapon concealed inside being the weight. “Now cracks a noble heart. Goodnight, sweetheart, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

She stepped off the stage, a small trail of tears in her wake, and her legs failed her on the last step, but the strong arms that always used to be there to catch her weren’t anymore.

\-------

Adam Taurus wasn’t really accepted by everyone there due to both his mask and the whole ‘leading the White Fang and helping Cinder’ thing, and he didn’t speak at the funeral, but he was, in truth, the closest thing Blake had to a family, apart from her father-in-law Taiyang and her team.

Which was why, at the after-funeral remembrance, he had sought out the cat Faunus first, two glasses of fine scotch in hand, eventually finding her leaning on a balcony.

“Blake.”

That one word, that one name, had so many paths it could go. She turned around, and Adam got his first look at true loss.

Sure, he had experienced abandonment when Blake had cut the train cars on the Dust heist so long ago, but that paled in comparison to what was etched on Blake’s face, the sheer amount of tears having made her mascara, eye shadow and even lipstick run. “Adam. I thought you were in prison.”

“Served my time. Cut down the sentence by agreeing to become a Huntsman and tutor at Beacon.” He flashed the small badge in his jacket. “Plus, people need their family in times like this.”

He never expected Blake to hug him. “Thank you, Adam. For being here.”

He returned the hug for a second, before stepping back slightly, offering one of the glasses in his hand. “Heard alcohol helps a bit as well.”

Blake took the glass from him gingerly, as if she might break herself, then took a hard slug and gave a nod of approval, her tone slowly becoming accusatory. “Very interesting. I suppose you got this your usual way?”

Adam sighed. _Damn it, Blake._ “It was ten years ago that I bought that liquor. Right when you left and decided to become a Huntress. Right when I wanted to celebrate us.” He pulled the glass container out from his jacket, quietly thanking ‘past Adam’ for getting inside pockets. “Only fitting that you should have it now, when you might need it most.”

She paused, and that moment was all it took for Adam to realize one simple mistake. _The bottle’s color-_

“This is exactly like Yang’s hair color.” Her response was, he could tell, forcibly measured and collected.

He decided to roll with his mistake. “Judging from how you talked about her, Yang would have probably liked it. Or, at least, the bottle itself.”

Silence descended between the two of them for a second, before Adam hugged her again. _Damn it, today seems to be a hug day._ “I’m here for you, Blake. Everyone is.”

He felt her sob into his jacket, and gently rubbed a hand on her back. Silence felt the best policy right now.

After a couple of minutes of holding Blake (and growling viciously at anyone else who approached, including her father-in-law and teammates), she pulled herself out from the leather. “I know. Everyone’s here for me. Even Yang.”

He paused. “Unless she faked her death, I doubt-”

“No, Adam, not like that.” Blake’s eyes had a tinge of purple around the edge now. “She’s dead physically, I know that, but she’s not gone. I can feel her, and she’ll always be with me in my heart.” Her ears twitched as she turned to lean on the balcony rail again. “It’s like… Do you know the Aura Bonding technique?”

Adam snorted in amusement, despite himself. “Yeah. Always thought it was a my-”

“Yang and I did it.”

That made him stop. “What?”

“You heard me. Yang and I did it. We found an old book, saw the ritual… We bonded. We’re a duo. Always together, no matter the distance, emotions, or state of being.”

A new voice cut through. “So that was why that book was loaned.”

Adam and Blake both turned. The man in dark green, the one who spoke first at the funeral, Adam’s new boss, was standing there, typical mug in hand. “I will admit, you and Miss Xiao Belladonna-Long were always an odd couple.”

“Headmaster, sir.” Adam bowed his head. After all, he had to be polite around the man who got him out early.

“Please, Adam. We can skip the formality here. Call me Ozpin.” He sighed, taking a sip of coffee. “I truly apologise for your loss, Blake.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Professor.”

“Yang was taken far too soon, but in a manner that she would have wanted.” Ozpin placed the mug on a nearby table. “As with all things, we are left with a conundrum. Much as I wish to let you, Weiss and Ruby mourn for as long as you need, a new problem has arisen about the White Fang.”

Adam folded his arms. “What needs to be done?”

The man in dark green raised an eyebrow. “Are you volunteering, Adam?”

“I am, sir.” _Now or never. Time to prove I can be trusted again, and to protect Blake._

Blake glared at Adam. “You stay out of this-”

“Miss Belladonna-Long.” The unspoken order to stand down was laced through Ozpin’s interjection. Then his attention turned back to Adam. “Professor Taurus, your volunteering is appreciated and accepted. You are to accompany team RWBY to a White Fang hideout, and neutralize all of the Faunus inside. Is that clear?”

Adam was glad that he still had his mask on, because he was sweating bullets under it right now. “Crystal, headmaster. Non-lethal only.”

Ozpin nodded. “Very well. Team RWBY will have two weeks of time off before the mission.” He turned and strode off, grabbing his mug effortlessly.

Adam and Blake were left staring at where the headmaster had just been, before Adam broke the silence. “Before you say anything, Blake, I’m doing this to prove a point. To show people can change. To protect you.”

Her arms wrapped around him again, fresh tears staining his shirt. “I know, Adam. I know.”

\-------

Not many people believed in Aura Bonding.

It was never a widely practiced art, due to the ritual being between two people and the intense intimacy and trust that both had to have in the other.

Most people, like Adam and handfuls of other students, thought of it as a myth; something that was only in fairy tales and legends.

Some people knew that it existed, but thought that it could only be done with an impossibly close duo. Even the White Rose duo and team JNPR had had doubts regarding it.

Until two weeks after the funeral at the White Fang hideout, where Blake’s afterimages kept exploding when she needed them to without any red Dust; and she had punched a stolen Atlesian Paladin’s arm off right after it had slammed her through a shipping container.

Adam, Ruby and Weiss all would swear that Blake’s eyes had turned a burnt orange in those moments, and she used both Gambol Shroud and Ember Celica in true concert.

But Blake knew that it was her inner fire. Her Yang.


End file.
